Serial Entrepreneur Sonja Nichols Opens Southern Lion in Charlotte
The grand opening of Southern Lion, a new small business opening its doors in the Charlotte community, was recently celebrated by entrepreneur Sonja Nichols. Nichols is known for her entrepreneurial spirit and ability to reinvigorate local businesses and spaces with her unique spin and vision.
The business venture, Southern Lion, replaces a well-loved local establishment, Blacklion, which was a community favorite in south Charlotte for nearly 30 years. The previous owners, Bob and Nita Emory, decided in 2023 to retire and sell their property, forcing the closure of the Blacklion store, much to the chagrin of local vendors and customers. Nichols seized this opportunity to step into the merchandise marketplace, transforming just a mile away in Pineville’s Carolina Place Mall, the former Sears’ property into a bustling shopping hub with spaces for 150 different vendors.
The Southern Lion’s grand opening was held on July 13, 2024 with a large attendance and celebration in honor of Nichols achieving her vision.
A Fresh Approach to Retail
Nichols is not a stranger to big undertakings. She has previous experience owning and operating a security business, served on the UNC System Board of Governors, and ran for the state senate. Her extensive history of entrepreneurship and leadership roles prepared her to take on this venture into retail. After securing a loan from Truist Bank, despite being turned down by four different banks, Nichols launched into setting up and opening Southern Lion. “As with just any project, only faith could have gotten me through this,” she proclaimed.
Despite the infrastructural challenges she faced turning a vacant Sears building into a fully functioning marketplace, Nichols successfully brought the Southern Lion to life and brought the stalls of over 150 vendors, including 85% of Blacklion’s former merchants along with her.
More Than Just a Shop
The Southern Lion is envisioned as a “shopaholic’s happy space” by its creator. According to Nichols, potential customers and seasoned shoppers alike will be delighted to find products from all over the world, not just limited to furniture and art as the Blacklion had been, but extending to include plants, carpentry, concrete crafts and designs, and even vendors who specialize in building houses from scratch.
One unique area, “The Lion’s Den,” is designed as a resting space, perfect for those who prefer to rest while others shop. Complete with multiple recliners and large TVs, Southern Lion ensures that everyone’s needs are accommodated during the shopping experience.
The Visionary Behind the Venture
Sonja Nichols attributes her determination and success in completing the Southern Lion project to her resilience and faith. Nichols credits her husband, Richard Nichols and a supportive team for encouraging her to persevere despite resistance from various banks and issues with the building’s old infrastructure.
Bob Emory, the former owner of Blacklion, also made a speech on the day of the grand opening, celebrating Nichols for the effort she put into carrying the legacy of Blacklion forward in her unique way. Nichols stated her aim with Southern Lion is to make Emory proud and elevate the community with a thriving marketplace.
Further expansion plans for Nichols and the Southern Lion include the second-storey of the current mall building, visualized as an antique shop and currently named “Metro Lion,” and other possible Southern Lion establishments in other areas. Sonja Nichols’s grand vision for Southern Lion reflects her commitment to community development and retail innovation in the local area.
